Curran

Brian- Ford is going to know infinitely more on the use of magnification in the crafting of kodogu than I ever will. So let him be the captain of the field on this topic. I would say that if you look at the genuine works of Shozui (aka. Masayuki) that his varying tier rendering of certain objects or animals often feels like he was zooming in and out on an object or model using a microscope. It didn't surprise me to later read that in his workshop he supposedly had a shelve or two full of different glasses (spectacles) for different magnifications. Don't ask me to back that up with an original source. It may or may not be true, though I think I first heard it from Haynes. I owned a f/k of a deer design by Shozui that was very 3 tier in design, as if it were meant to be viewed with 3-D glasses on. It made me believe he might have worked with an array of magnification. [sold the set back to Japan, and was mildly amused to see it for sale at the DTI.]

Almost all these are old green papers. Moreover, this one is for a tsuba I once owned: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NBTHK-TOKUBETSU-KICHO-Certificate-NISHIGAKI-sccool-paper-only-for-study-/272380023192?hash=item3f6b1d5198:g:ywwAAOSw8gVX3Vfp I don't know who is the current owner, having sent it to Europe many years ago. I wondered about fake papers long ago when I first started collecting, but I do not recall it having been a problem in all my years collecting. Falsely signed modern works purporting to be the work of famous modern smiths have been more of a problem.

Books, fellow collectors, and time. Even then, sometimes you cannot be sure and will have to form your own opinion. About 11 or 12 years ago I bought a very nice unique Akasaka from a collector in Japan. It was a thick tsuba with very evident 3 layers in the construction, typical of Akasaka. A few years later I sold it to Europe. While listing two tsuba on eBay today, I stumbled on a Japanese seller selling old NBTHK papers. BANG! There was the paper for that same tsuba: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NBTHK-TOKUBETSU-KICHO-Certificate-NISHIGAKI-sccool-paper-only-for-study-/272380023192?hash=item3f6b1d5198:g:ywwAAOSw8gVX3Vfp Problem is.... the old green papers say 'Nishigaki'. Also, people do resubmit items for different papers. I've only bothered once, and the modern NBTHK gave it two very different kantei. So, primarily Books, fellow collectors, and time. Papers help too, but their opinions do vary.

Stephen: Same for the namban.

Shades of the past.

Good book. Rich Turner helped us acquire a few copies years ago. The attributions are sometimes questionable or clearly off in a few cases. Still, the pottery master had good taste in fittings. There are some unique works in there.

Some examples for comparison: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18583-kaneshige-tsuba-plate-maker/

One of our quieter gents forwarded this to me: http://web.mit.edu/chosetec/www/products/index.html Mr. Chan might be still active, though the site dates 2010.

The fellow at MIT made them for a few of us, but isn't making them anymore. One of the fellows on the list might be willing to sell one. They were nice enough, I tried to order a second one.

I had been trying to remember who owned or where I'd seen that sword with a part of another sword embedded in it. One of my two swords has a kirikomi the polisher left in. I like it, but think most consider it on a case by case basis. Guido's was one of the most interesting. On the flipside, I know a high level Hizen sword collector that considers them major detractors. He doesn't mind thin skin flaws that I hate, but a kirikomi on a Juyo and he considers it dead to him.

He did say "novel". I still like the design.

Either the Horimono book or another book has a section on some of the kantei possible by horimono. Many years ago I used it for Yamashiro Nobukuni and agreed with their opinion regarding how Nobukuni ken were carved. In regards to this kantei, I can only express opinion that it is not by the Yamashiro Nobukuni line.

Agree with Grey. My little opinion is this one might go to Umetada instead of ko-kinko. Either way, I like it. I'm a sucker for wave form and chrysanthemum tsuba, so this one is twice over a pleasure to me.

Thank you for sharing that.

Mauro, Diece mille grazie! Questa tsuba dentro di un'altra scatola.

Yes, I was hoping for a clean cut answer. The box needs a new inner silk liner, but there is no point if it does not go with the tsuba.

Morita-san, Steve, and Mauro: Thank you for the replies. The tsuba that was in the box is signed: 貞栄. According to Mauro, the hakogaki says "sahari". I thought this too, but was not sure of my reading. However- opinion seems to be that the reading of 貞永 on the hakogaki is = Sadanaga. Haynes Index only lists one Sadanaga (Haynes 07751.0) using 貞永 but he does not sound like an artist that would work with sahari. Reading the next caption for Sadanaga (Haynes 07752.0) using a different kanji than 永, it notes "They seem to have come from the early Edo period Hoan School. Some read their name as "Teimei"". One form of Sadanaga can be read as 'Teimei', but can the other? But also Hoan school worked with sahari sometimes.... Confusing. Does this tsuba belong with this box? or just a close mismatch?

He is here on NMB.

Morita-san, Yes, that is the tsuba in question.

I need some help from our more fluent Japanese readers. Please see attached tsuba hakogaki images. (1) Can this attribution be read "Teiei" as in Kunitomo Teiei? (2) Also, is anyone else able to read the date? Most everything else is straightforward, but I didn't know if Teiei could be written in this form or if the wrong tsuba was placed in this box. Curran

Myochin Kuninao Haynes Index 03638.0 Haynes Notes: "Mokko flat iron tsuba in the style of Nobuiye"

Pete is the more comfortable with original Nobuiye signatures (A). I defer to his opinion when dealing with one of those. Since these aren't that, I thought it might be one of the Other Nobuiye ( B ): Akasaka Nobuiye, Echizen Nobuiye, Owari Nobuiye, or Kaga Nobuiye. Brian asked, so I got out the Kinko Meikan. It didn't match the better known Other Nobuiye. -- Not (A) and not ( B ). Steve's attribution to 19th century revivalist or copyist works © is a better answer. [ A, B, C, D, => I'm obviously taking too many exams. --Self mockery there--. Later gents.]

Peter, Well cowpies.... if using the lunar calendar, it looks you are right. I was just trying to post something fun. Darn Brits! [Totally joking, as there are many days I'd rather be on that side of The Pond]

Higo Fuchi-Kashira from July 1776.

Guido, Do you know the year of the photograph? I have an Ikkansai Shigemasa (Sakai Hiroshi) O-tanto and in the process of researching it, looked up a few photos of him from his Yasukuni days. In doing so, I believe I recognize some other faces. Nothing certain. From July 1935 and December 1936 comparison photos vs. your photo: Person 1: Holding sword- no idea yet. Still looking. He has some distinct features that would allow him to be recognized if I had better photos. Was hoping to recognize him from the Dec 1936 "Bye-bye Yasuhiro and Hiroshi" party photo. Person 2: Page 95 bottom photo of Yasukuni book. 2nd row. Listed as "name Unknown". Person 3: Page 95 bottom photo of Yasukuni book. I considered Yamaoka Juko per Chris's comment, as he is also in the second row. To me, the resemblance with Koizumi Shinji in the middle or row 1 is much stronger. Other photos support this opinion. Person 4: [No idea, but a dead ringer to my sophomore roommate. A 3rd or 4th generation Zaibatsu-Chaebol fellow educated in Swiss private schools. His grandpa? Small world then.] Person 5: No idea. I believe he and No. 7 are in a November 1935 photo, but both are skipped in the list of names. Person 6: Miyaguchi Yasuhiro. [my opinion. strong resemblance in several photos, but he's wearing a hat and looking directly at camera in the photos] Person 7: No idea. See No. 5 Just opinions. Not 100% certain on any of them, though No. 2, 3, 6 all look to me to be in the July 1935 photo. With a better copy of the photo, might be able to single out a few others. Good luck.